Method, blank, and means for making sliders for slide fasteners



p 1945. M. von'Y- EIAL 2,384,145

METHOD, BLANK, AND MEANS FOR MAKING SLIDERS FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed June 6, 1942 INVENTORS MAURICE VO/TY M Y GEORGE A. GRIFFITHS shown on NITED STATES PATENT oi-Fica METHOD,

AND mus non sumo BLANK, SLIDEBS FOB SLIDE FASTENERS Mani-Ice Volty, 14mg Island City, and George.

N. Y., asaignora to Unl- N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June a, 1942, Serial No. 446,068

Claims. ((:I. 29-148) This invention relates to a method and means for making sliders for slide fasteners. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the formation of sliders from pairs of slider wings having integral, raised attaching portions-which are integrally connected by a link, the attaching portions of one pair of wings being welded to the attaching portions of another pair of wings.

It is an object of this invention to provide a pair of slider wings of the character described,

and arrangement of parts which will be exemplitled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims.

Certain features of the apparatus and method hereinshown. or described but not claimed are shown, described and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 426,694, for Method and means for making sliders for slide fasteners, filed January 14, 1942, of which the present applica- 'i'ion is a. continuation-in-part.

In the e(accompanying drawing,.in which is of the various possible embodiments of this invention and in which. like numbers refer to like parts,

Fig. 1 is a perspective, partly schematic view showing successive operations in the manufacture of a pair of connected slider wings in accordance with our invention:

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the dies used to shape the attachingportions and connecting link of a pair of connected slider wings; r

Fig. 3 shows top and bottom perspective vie of pairs of connected slider wings;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through two pairs of connected slider wings positioned between two welding electr0des; i

Fig. 5 is a similarview of said pairs of slider wings after performance of the welding operation has been completed to fabricate a slider blank;

. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the upper welding electrode shown in Fig. 4;

the operation of separating connected. pairs of sliders in a slider blank; and

Fig. 8 shows in perspective a pair of separated finished sliders.

Referring now to thexdrawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, 8 denotes a long strip constructed in accordance with our invention and comprising a plurality of integrally connected slider wings ll, each having a flat body portion II. A pair of parallel rail portions l4 are disposed at one end I! of the slider body and out- 'wardly diverging portions ll contiguous with the parallel rail portions l4 run toward the other slider end 20. At this latter end there is provided a raised attaching portion 22 which, in a completed slider will serve both as part of the neck joining two slider wings and'as part ofthe I cammlng surface for engaging and disengaging the elements of a slide fastener. Successive slider wings, Iii are disposed along the length of the strip S with the rail portions i4 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip and withsuccessive slider wings oppositely oriented. By virtue of this orientation, pairs 14 of slider wings are formed which have their attaching portions 22 adjacently disposed. These adjacent portions are Fig. '7 is a perspective, schematic view showing integrally connected by a link 20 of a width no .greater than the maximum width of the attaching portions 22 to provide a diamond-shaped bridge B between the bodies i! of each pair 24 of slider wings. Links 2| integrally attach pairs 24 of slider wings to each other- In accordance with our invention, the diamondshaped bridge B, comprising the adjacent attaching portions 22 and connecting link 20 has a unique relief which is such that the elevation of the connecting link 26 is lower than the maximum elevation of the attaching portions 22 and is preferably such that each of said attaching portions slope gradually from points of maximum elevation adjacent the ends of the bridge B to said connecting link. This contour may be imparted to the bridge at the time it is originally formed. Alternatively this contour may be imparted after the bridge has been shaped and raised by a pair of relatively reciprocal dies II and 32 (Figs. 1 and 2). I

Although we have shown the bridge as havin an .arcuate, concave contour, it will be understood that other elevational profiles may be employed. For example, the two attaching portions may slope linearly downward to a horizontal, flat connecting link, or the two attaching portions may slope linearly downward and the connecting link may comprise two linearly sloped portions still an integral. respondlng y beveled edges on the finished sliders each one of which is a continuation of one of the linearly sloped attaching portions.

By way of illustration, and without in any way limiting the invention to the following dimensions, it may be mentioned that highly satisfactory results have been secured where the difference in elevation between the highest points of the attaching portions 22 and the lowest point of the integrally connecting link 26 is from about 0.010 to 0.015 inch. However, for clarity of illustration, the relatively slight depression of the center of the bridge 13 has been exaggerated throughout the drawing.

Pairs 24 of attached slider wings l having connecting bridges B, shaped as above described, are detached from the strip S by a reciprocating shearing tool 34 which cooperates with an aperture 28 in an anvil 38. Sets of two pairs 24 of connected slider wings are then arranged, as shown in Fig. 3, with the bridges B registered and opposed. The wings are then brought together to abut the points of maximum elevation and are placed between a pair of welding electrodes 40 and 42, whose tips are negatively shaped to match the profile of the back surfaces of the bridges B. The central portions B of said electrode tips, however, which overlie and underlie. the links 26 are relieved so that both welding pressure and current are localized at the attachins portions 22. The transverse section of said electrodes is such that the end portions A correspond in contour to the outline of the attaching portions while the central relieved portions B may be of any shape (Fig. 6). The electrodes are supported and supplied with electric current in any suitable manner well known to the art.

The amount of current, degree of pressure, and duration of the welding interval are so controlled that only the attaching portions 22 of the opposed slider wings II are weldedly connected while the .opposed links 26 are left substantially unattached. By welding in this manner, that is, from the points of maximum elevation on the two adjacent attaching portions 22 progressively inward towards the attaching link 28, the slider wings I! are connected with an unusually strong and rigid joint which offers a high degree of resistance toward and bending strainwhich might tend to angularly spring the slider wings apart. Also, by keeping the welding area down to an absolute minimum and pro-v gressively welding in the manner described, the amount of electric power consumed is appreciably reduced.

As a result of the welding operation a slider blank 43 is formed comprising a pair of sliders 44 integrally connected by a link 40. To cut away this link and separate said sliders. there is employed a specially shaped shearing tool 0 which cooperates with an anvil (not shown). At the time the sliders l4 are-separated, sizing tools (not shown) may be inserted to properly position the wings It.

It will be appreciated that the shape and mcidental construction of the slider wings ll, apart from the attaching portions 22, will be controlled by the desired shape of the slider and the equipment to be used therewith. For example, it will be seen that chamfered edges I0 and V-shaped grooves I2 on the slider wings I0, while'they are part of the strip 8, provid cor- (Fig. 8). Also alternate slider wings disposed along the strip may have balls I formed thereon so that tabs may be attached to the finished slider.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus and method for making the some in which the objects of this invention are achieved, and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be -made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a method of making sheet metal sliders of the character described, the steps of first forming pairs of completely fashioned slider wings with rails, adiacently disposed raised attaching portions, and an integral connecting link which is the sole element between said attaching portions, the attaching portions and connecting links being so relieved that the surfaces of said attaching portions and links on the same side of the wings as the rails slope in a direction opposite to that in which the rails extend from a point of maximum elevation on each of said pair of attaching portions to a point of minimum elevation at the intermediate link; arranging said pairs in sets of two with the rails opposed, the points of maximum elevation of the attaching portions in opposition, abutment and registration, and the links in opposition and registration and spaced from each other; welding together only said attaching portions to form pairs of completely fashioned integrally connected sliders with the links unconnected; and separating said sliders from each other at said links to provide completely fashioned sliders requiring no further forming operations.

2. In a method of making sheet metal sliders of the character described, the steps of first forming pairs of completely fashioned slider wines with rails, adJacently disposed raised attaching portions, and an integralconnectlng link which is the sole element between said attaching portions, the attaching portions and connecting links being so relieved that th surfaces of said attaching portions and links on the same side of the wings as the rails slope in a direction opposite to that in which the rails extend from a point of maximum elevation on each of said pair of attaching portions to a point of minimum elevation at th intermediate link; arranging saidpairsinsetsoftwowiththerailsoppolod. the points of maximum elevation of the attaching portions in opposition, abutment ond'registration, and the links in opposition and registration and spaced from each other; welding isgether only said attaching portions to form pain of completely fashioned integrally connected sliders with the links unconnected; and then shearing away said unconnected links to separate add sliders from each other and provide completely fashioned sliders requiring no further forming operations.

3. In a method of making sheet metal sliders of the character described, the steps of first forming pairs of completely fashioned slider wings with rails. diacently disposed railed attaching portions, and an intcgraloonnecting link which is the sole element between said attaching portions, the attaching portions and connecting linksbeingsorelievcdthatthcsnrfacosofsaid attaching portions and links on the same side of the wings as the rails slope in a direction opposite to that in which the rails extend from a point of maximum levation on each of said pair of attaching portions to a point oi minimum elevation at the intermediate link; arranging said vpairs in sets of two with the rails opposed, the

points of maximum elevation of the attaching portions in opposition, abutment and registration, and the links in opposition and'registration and spaced from each other; progressively welding "together said opposed attaching portions from points spaced away from said link up to but not through said spaced links to form pairs of completely fashioned integrally connected sliders with the links unconnected; and separating said sliders from each other at the links to provide completely fashioned sliders requiring no further forming operations.

4. Foruse in a method of manufacturing sheet metal sliders of the character described from sets including two pairs of completely fashioned slider wings having rails, adjacently disposed attaching portions, and an integral connecting link, wherein the attaching portions and connecting link are so relieved that the surfaces thereof on manufacture comprising a pair of completely:

, fashioned slider wings each having rails and the same side of the wings as the rails slope in a direction opposite to that in which the rails extend from a point of maximum elevation on each of said attaching portions to a point of minimum elevation at the intermediate link, and

I in which method the points of maximum elevaing portions.

raised attaching portions, said wings being so relatively arranged that the attaching portions are adjacently disposed, and a link integrally connecting said attaching portions, said attachingportions and link having an elevational contour on the surface thereof on the same side of the wings as the rails such that said attaching portions and link slope in a direction opposite to that in which the rails'extend from a point of maximum elevation on each of the attaching portions to a point of minimum elevation at the intermediate link whereby when pairs of wings are arranged in registration with the rails opposed, and the attaching portions then welded,

the welding will be progressive from points space away from the link toward the links. 6. For use in a method of manufacturing sheet metal sliders of the character described from two pairs of completely fashioned slider wings having rails and attaching portions, the wings in the pairs being oppositely oriented so that the attaching portions ar adjacently disposed, the at taching portions being integrally connected, and in which method the pairs are arranged with the rails opposed and the wings and attaching portions in registration; an apparatus comprising a pair of welding electrodes for simultaneously welding together the two pairs of adjacent registered attaching portions so as to complete at the same time the formation of a pair of completely fashioned sliders integrally connected at the attaching portions, said electrodes having tipswhose cross section matches the contour of the pairs of adjacently disposed attach- MAURICE vorrYQ GEORGE A. oamr'rms. 

